


just like honey

by General_Syndulla



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Comfort, Dating, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Married Life, Pining, Post-Canon, Romance, Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2020-11-23 07:21:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20888291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/General_Syndulla/pseuds/General_Syndulla
Summary: Moments of time through the years of Will and Mike's life together. Set in my funny little future AU world.





	just like honey

**Author's Note:**

> fic soundtrack is, of course, jesus and mary chain's [just like honey](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7EgB__YratE). and some words borrowed too. maybe eventually i will write a byler story without song lyrics...
> 
> thank you for reading it.

_listen to the boy, as he takes on half the world. moving up and so alive in his honey-dripping beehive, beehive._

The neon lights around them spun and spun, as bright as the stars in the night sky. He hadn’t thought to tie his long hair back, whipping behind him. A red ribbon, tied like a headband at the crown of his head, threatened to be whipped right from his head. It would be a tangled mess when they got off. But right now Will didn’t care.

He leaned heavily into Mike with the force of the ride spinning them, laughing and screaming so loud he would surely be hoarse by the end. Mike threw a strong arm around him and held him so close, laughing along with him. The hem of Will’s hoodie, really one that was borrowed from Mike, fluttered over his thighs. Their playful kisses tasted like sugary cotton candy and cheap beer.

The Hawkins Fun Fair was back for another summer. It was a tradition now that Will and Mike went together every year, just them, ate way too much junk food, maybe got a bit drunk, and rode on all the rides until Will couldn’t walk straight. They saw Troy with his girlfriend-of-the-month and Will giggled when Mike whispered rude things about them in his ear to quell his anxiety and make him smile.

The savory smell of food frying wafted through the air. The smooth circular motion of the Ferris wheel made Will’s belly feel tickled. He nestled closer to Mike in the wheel’s car. Mike kissed him so gently when they were stopped at the top, his hand held tight and safe in Mike’s lap.

_it’s good, so good._

The earthy smell of autumn filled Will’s senses as he looked over their campsite, stood on the porch of the cabin. Mike had rented it for them for the weekend. Will was so excited for this weekend together. He loved to be outside, loved to camp, and especially during this time of year. The trees seemed to hang lower with the weight of the leaves falling off, oranges and reds and yellows mixed into a beautiful collage of color. Like one of his paintings.

He let his eyes flutter shut as a strong breeze dusted up the leaves and the natural smells, flitting past him and over the porch with scraping sounds on the wood. It chilled his bones in a way that actually felt pleasurable, his t-shirt billowing slightly. A small smile grew on his face as he felt his Mike’s strong and warm arms wrap around him, his chest at his back. Will let himself be held. He let his weight lean back into Mike’s.

That night, in the warmth of their creaky cot, Will rested his head on Mike’s chest. He quietly watched his face in the light of the moon from the window. Will loved to observe him in quiet moments like this, when he knew he wouldn’t be caught. His freckled cheeks, the way his curly dark hair cascaded over his forehead and down the sides of his face, down his shoulders. Will gently stroked Mike’s cheek, his thumb resting on his scruffy chin, pulling slightly at his chapped lower lip. Will had always found him breathtakingly beautiful, and now was no different. He hugged Mike’s hands to his chest.

In the quiet distance of the night, an owl called out.

_it’s so good. so good._

Will freely splashed black paint onto the canvas, flecking it on at an angle. It was one of the most beautiful landscapes he had painted recently, almost from memory of a place he and Mike had visited last spring. Now he wanted to bring a darker tone to it, splotching the inky paint on with some amount of abandon. It dripped onto his old painted up apron, spattering onto the torn old jeans he wore.

In the next room, he could hear Mike practicing his song for a show that night, an acoustic version of one he had until now only heard played on his electric guitar. Will smiled as Mike hit a particularly higher than average note, and his voice cracked slightly.

A frustrated huff from the other room. Mike suddenly appeared in the doorway, coming to stand next to Will, wearing ripped up old blue jeans and not much else. He nodded and right as he was about to compliment the painting, Will turned and painted a stripe of black up Mike’s bare torso. A mischievous grin. Mike gasped in surprise and threw his hands out, trying to catch him, but Will was too fast. His fingers slipped through Mike’s, slightly wet with paint.

He always had been too fast for Mike to catch.

_walking back to you is the hardest thing that i can do, that i can do for you. . . for you._

Winter always made everything so quiet. Which was why Mike supposed Will’s sobs sounded particularly loud to him. He curled up into Mike’s chest, cuddled into his lap. His fists were white-knuckled as he held his shirt as tight as he could, like he might lose track of himself if he let go. His face was streaked pink with tears, hiccupping sniffles as he cried openly into his arms. The front of his own shirt was wet with so many tears. Mike’s was even worse off.

Mike gently rocked him, stroking his fingers down his back and through his hair. Gentle caresses and even gentler words, hushing and soothing. He rested his cheek on Will’s head. It had been such a long day. He hugged Will’s hands to himself.

_i’ll be your plastic toy, i’ll be your plastic toy for you. . ._

He couldn’t possibly have asked for a better birthday gift. A trip to New York City to see the sights. Tickets to a Broadway show, dinner reservations for every night, a hotel overlooking the bright lights of the big city. And a fun road trip, too. The gold ring on Will’s finger glittered in the morning sunlight as he reached over to hold Mike’s hand. Their intertwined fingers settled on the bottom of the steering wheel together. Felt blared on the radio as the wind streamed through the cracked windows.

Will sang louder than he’d ever dare to around anyone else. Mike laughed and sang along with the parts he knew in the chorus. Will stretched his legs out, lying back in his seat and letting the fingers on his other hand dangle through the partially opened window. Work had made them both so busy. This time together was exactly what they needed, and Will already felt like he was miles and miles from home with so much time left to spare. The very potential of the trip that lay ahead left him feeling exhilarated. It made him feel young again, like their college days.

He turned to smile at Mike and found Mike was already smiling at him first.

_eating up the scum is the hardest thing for me to do._

His lover lay underneath him, as sunlight streamed through the trees overhead. It dappled his rosy cheeks with bright light, the beautiful green leaves above them rustling as a strong breeze wound its way through them. Birds chirped as they flew along with it. The forest was otherwise quiet, the trees and flowers in full summer bloom and everything hazy thick with a quiet sleepiness to it.

The best time of year.

Will’s hair always got streaks of light in it when he was outside in the sun too long. Cute summer outfits, cut-off shorts and striped tank tops and swimming in shorts. The soft and pretty gradient of his tanned arms and legs at the end of the summer, records of all their trips to the beach and through the woods.

The best time of year. Mike’s favorite time of year.

Will’s hazel eyes watched his own, his pearly teeth peeking out to fuss at his lip. A few sun freckles dotted his cheeks. His hands lay open on either side of his head, the corner of their gingham picnic blanket worried between his fingertips. His other hand clutched tight in Mike’s own. His bangs lay scattered across his forehead, his endlessly long hair splayed around his head and above and below his shoulders, too.

Will shrugged and his long eyelashes fluttered as he slowly blinked up at Mike.

_just like honey._

The window was pushed open to let the cool night air blow in, the curtains shuffling with the breeze. His hair was tied into a long and loose braid over his shoulder, a worn old tour shirt of his lover’s the only thing covering his summer-warmed body. His narrow chest moved so slowly with his sleeping breaths. Will’s eyelashes were like delicate petals settled across his high cheekbones. His cherry lips were parted, front teeth peeking out just slightly. He looked especially peaceful tonight.

It was a welcome change from the fitful way he normally slept. Tossing and turning, his brow furrowed as if he were in more pain than humanly possible. Not like now at all. Now he looked like he had never had a care in his life. His cheeks were slightly rosy with the sun and with the heat of deep sleep. His hands clutched each other against his chest and his legs were curled up into himself, as if he were making himself as tiny as he possibly could. The beams of the moon high above shone through the curtains and illuminated the curve of his body.

Mike was grateful for at least one night of quiet sleep. He held one of Will’s hands in both his own, bringing his knuckles to his mouth to gently kiss them.

_just like honey._

Will’s long hair whirled around him in an arc as he turned around to laugh happily, right as his lover dumped a bundle of orange and red leaves all over him. He held his arms up in a playful attempt to catch them, his long tweed coat draping over his thighs as he moved. A red plaid scarf was tied loosely around his neck, just close enough to keep his waning body heat close to him but not so bundled up he would get too hot. It was often a delicate balance, but autumn was especially easy for him to keep himself at the perfect temperature.

Between the fluttering leaves, Will’s smiling face shone brighter than any color of autumn leaves ever could. The beautiful and bright light of his eyes a contrast to the deep and rich colors of the drying leaves. The way his warm and soft brown hair perfectly matched the muted colors of the woods in their backyard, some streaks from summer still present throughout. A black headband sat high on his head to keep the strands in front of his ears held back. They collapsed together into a pile of raked leaves. They would have to be tidied up again, but neither of them cared much. Mike stroked his calloused thumb across Will’s rosy cheeks.

They leaned close and kissed each other with a softness as sweet as the hot apple cider waiting for them in the house.

_just like honey._

_just like honey._

_just like honey._


End file.
